Header Right

Main navigation

Finance

For some families with young or irresponsible children, who will act as the executor or successor trustee is a very hard question to answer. Most institutions won’t act for smaller estates (under $5,000,000) or if they do, they charge enormous fees. One solution in CA may be private professional fiduciaries Families with younger, disabled or […]

The US Tax Code lets you give a gift of money, stocks, bonds, real or personal property, gift tax free, up to $14,000 a year to anyone you want. This amount is indexed for inflation and may rise in the future. A married couple can give any one person up to $28,000/year tax free. Giving […]

Tax deferred growth is a beautiful thing. The IRA (or Roth IRA) stretch out is nothing short of miraculous! Often children or grandchildren are named as beneficiaries so that they can take advantage of life-long (required minimum distribution) payments with the assets continuing to grow until the beneficiary is in his mid-80s. As part of […]

Okay, picture yourself in the chair at the eye doctor’s office. She puts that huge goofy looking machine thingy in front of your face and says, “Is this better or is this better?” “Is number one better or number two?” “Which one is more clear?” Your estate planning attorney does the same thing, without the […]

If you are reading this, you need an updated estate plan so call your estate planning attorney now. Everyone age 18 or older already has an estate plan. What?! Yes, you have an estate plan, but if you’re like most people, it’s not the plan that you want. If you do not have your own […]

Hmmmm. What happens when that formerly sweet In-Law hits the road and takes everything that you worked so hard for and gave to your sweet child? An Outlaw is created! It could happen and does happen every day. Put on your white hat and give your gift not to your child, but to a trust […]

Santa Claus is not the only one making a list and checking it twice. Take 5 minutes now and call your estate planning attorney, CPA, financial advisor, and insurance professional for a sit down meeting in January, February, or March of 2011. Then, go eat cookies! Just a quick reminder because I know that you […]

Ahh, it is that time of year. A time for memory making with loved ones, cookies, and holiday gifts. A true gift is given with an open mind and giving heart. No matter the size of the gift, it is only a true gift, in the spirit of the season, if it is given with […]

If two or more people wish to combine their finances and share access to a single account, they can open a joint account. Business partners, parents and children, married couples or cohabiting couples will often choose joint accounts. The joint account with rights of survivorship is the most common type, and allows assets to pass […]